diff --git a/src/cfgparse.l b/src/cfgparse.l
index 6dfec224..2ba81d33 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse.l
+++ b/src/cfgparse.l
@@ -128,6 +128,12 @@ EOL     (\r?\n)
 <BAR_COLORS>inactive_workspace  { BAR_TRIPLE_COLOR; return TOK_BAR_COLOR_INACTIVE_WORKSPACE; }
 <BAR_COLORS>urgent_workspace    { BAR_TRIPLE_COLOR; return TOK_BAR_COLOR_URGENT_WORKSPACE; }
 <BAR_COLOR>#[0-9a-fA-F]+        { yy_pop_state(); yylval.string = sstrdup(yytext); return HEXCOLOR; }
+<BAR_COLOR>{EOL}                {
+                                  yy_pop_state();
+                                  FREE(context->line_copy);
+                                  context->line_number++;
+                                  yy_push_state(BUFFER_LINE);
+                                }
 <BAR,BAR_COLORS,BAR_MODE,BAR_MODIFIER,BAR_POSITION>[a-zA-Z]+ { yylval.string = sstrdup(yytext); return WORD; }
 
 
diff --git a/src/cfgparse.y b/src/cfgparse.y
index 2edc7698..d245db3f 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse.y
+++ b/src/cfgparse.y
@@ -1208,8 +1208,16 @@ bar_color_statusline:
     ;
 
 bar_color_focused_workspace:
-    TOK_BAR_COLOR_FOCUSED_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
+    TOK_BAR_COLOR_FOCUSED_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
     {
+        /* Old syntax: text / background */
+        DLOG("focused_ws = %s, %s (old)\n", $2, $3);
+        current_bar.colors.focused_workspace_bg = $3;
+        current_bar.colors.focused_workspace_text = $2;
+    }
+    | TOK_BAR_COLOR_FOCUSED_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
+    {
+        /* New syntax: border / background / text */
         DLOG("focused_ws = %s, %s and %s\n", $2, $3, $4);
         current_bar.colors.focused_workspace_border = $2;
         current_bar.colors.focused_workspace_bg = $3;
@@ -1218,8 +1226,16 @@ bar_color_focused_workspace:
     ;
 
 bar_color_active_workspace:
-    TOK_BAR_COLOR_ACTIVE_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
+    TOK_BAR_COLOR_ACTIVE_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
     {
+        /* Old syntax: text / background */
+        DLOG("active_ws = %s, %s (old)\n", $2, $3);
+        current_bar.colors.active_workspace_bg = $3;
+        current_bar.colors.active_workspace_text = $2;
+    }
+    | TOK_BAR_COLOR_ACTIVE_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
+    {
+        /* New syntax: border / background / text */
         DLOG("active_ws = %s, %s and %s\n", $2, $3, $4);
         current_bar.colors.active_workspace_border = $2;
         current_bar.colors.active_workspace_bg = $3;
@@ -1228,7 +1244,14 @@ bar_color_active_workspace:
     ;
 
 bar_color_inactive_workspace:
-    TOK_BAR_COLOR_INACTIVE_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
+    TOK_BAR_COLOR_INACTIVE_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
+    {
+        /* Old syntax: text / background */
+        DLOG("inactive_ws = %s, %s (old)\n", $2, $3);
+        current_bar.colors.inactive_workspace_bg = $3;
+        current_bar.colors.inactive_workspace_text = $2;
+    }
+    | TOK_BAR_COLOR_INACTIVE_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
     {
         DLOG("inactive_ws = %s, %s and %s\n", $2, $3, $4);
         current_bar.colors.inactive_workspace_border = $2;
@@ -1238,7 +1261,14 @@ bar_color_inactive_workspace:
     ;
 
 bar_color_urgent_workspace:
-    TOK_BAR_COLOR_URGENT_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
+    TOK_BAR_COLOR_URGENT_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
+    {
+        /* Old syntax: text / background */
+        DLOG("urgent_ws = %s, %s (old)\n", $2, $3);
+        current_bar.colors.urgent_workspace_bg = $3;
+        current_bar.colors.urgent_workspace_text = $2;
+    }
+    | TOK_BAR_COLOR_URGENT_WORKSPACE HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR HEXCOLOR
     {
         DLOG("urgent_ws = %s, %s and %s\n", $2, $3, $4);
         current_bar.colors.urgent_workspace_border = $2;
diff --git a/testcases/t/177-bar-config.t b/testcases/t/177-bar-config.t
index eb92c751..3caa6696 100644
--- a/testcases/t/177-bar-config.t
+++ b/testcases/t/177-bar-config.t
@@ -208,4 +208,77 @@ is($bar_config->{colors}->{background}, '#000000', 'background color ok');
 
 exit_gracefully($pid);
 
+#####################################################################
+# verify that the old syntax still works
+#####################################################################
+
+$config = <<EOT;
+# i3 config file (v4)
+font -misc-fixed-medium-r-normal--13-120-75-75-C-70-iso10646-1
+
+bar {
+    # Start a default instance of i3bar which provides workspace buttons.
+    # Additionally, i3status will provide a statusline.
+    status_command i3status --bar
+
+    output HDMI1
+    output HDMI2
+
+    tray_output LVDS1
+    tray_output HDMI2
+    position top
+    mode dock
+    font Terminus
+    workspace_buttons no
+    verbose yes
+    socket_path /tmp/foobar
+
+    colors {
+        background #ff0000
+        statusline   #00ff00
+
+        focused_workspace   #ffffff #285577
+        active_workspace    #888888 #222222
+        inactive_workspace  #888888 #222222
+        urgent_workspace    #ffffff #900000
+    }
+}
+EOT
+
+$pid = launch_with_config($config);
+
+$i3 = i3(get_socket_path(0));
+$bars = $i3->get_bar_config()->recv;
+is(@$bars, 1, 'one bar configured');
+
+$bar_id = shift @$bars;
+
+cmd 'nop yeah';
+$bar_config = $i3->get_bar_config($bar_id)->recv;
+is($bar_config->{status_command}, 'i3status --bar', 'status_command correct');
+ok($bar_config->{verbose}, 'verbose on');
+ok(!$bar_config->{workspace_buttons}, 'workspace buttons disabled');
+is($bar_config->{mode}, 'dock', 'dock mode');
+is($bar_config->{position}, 'top', 'position top');
+is_deeply($bar_config->{outputs}, [ 'HDMI1', 'HDMI2' ], 'outputs ok');
+is($bar_config->{tray_output}, 'HDMI2', 'tray_output ok');
+is($bar_config->{font}, 'Terminus', 'font ok');
+is($bar_config->{socket_path}, '/tmp/foobar', 'socket_path ok');
+is_deeply($bar_config->{colors},
+    {
+        background => '#ff0000',
+        statusline => '#00ff00',
+        focused_workspace_text => '#ffffff',
+        focused_workspace_bg => '#285577',
+        active_workspace_text => '#888888',
+        active_workspace_bg => '#222222',
+        inactive_workspace_text => '#888888',
+        inactive_workspace_bg => '#222222',
+        urgent_workspace_text => '#ffffff',
+        urgent_workspace_bg => '#900000',
+    }, '(old) colors ok');
+
+exit_gracefully($pid);
+
+
 done_testing;